François Decoster

Born in 1973 in Hazebrouck (Nord, France), François Decoster graduated from Sciences-Po Paris, from University of Paris René-Descartes and the College of Europe (Bruges, where he is now a professor). From 1996 to 2021, he first worked as assistant for political parties in France and the European Parliament, and then as an advisor to several French ministers.

He was first elected as municipal councillor of Saint-Omer in 1997. After several positions, he was elected Mayor of Saint-Omer in 2014 (re-elected in 2020) and President of the Pays de Saint-Omer Agglomeration from 2014 to 2019.

In 2010, he became regional councillor for the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. In 2015, after the merge of Nord-Pas de Calais and Picardy regions into the new Hauts-de-France Region, President Xavier Bertrand named him Vice-President in charge of culture. Since 2021, he is Vice-President in charge of culture, heritage, regional languages and international relations.

He has been appointed the European Committee of the Regions in 2012. After several positions, he was elected President of the Renew Europe group in 2020.

Following the severe floods in the North of France this winter, President Macron tasked him with a mission to prepare the future. Mr Decoster’s report is based on best practises in Belgium and in the Netherlands.